Harnessing The Power Of AI To Prepare Students For A Globalised World
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Artificial Intelligence (AI)- powered virtual classrooms enable web-based interaction between learners and educators without their physical presence. This smart teaching-learning approach gained substantial traction during the COVID-19 pandemic because government-imposed social distancing measures revolutionized the global learning experience by opening up novel and flexible avenues for learners and educators. Virtual labs, interactive simulations, and sophisticated digital resources offering immersive and practical learning opportunities have become ubiquitous. Students in remote villages can now attend lectures by renowned professors from leading institutions from their homes.
These new-age teaching-learning approaches are powered by AI-supported tools, driving the concept of Education 4.0 defined in the World Economic Forum report “Shaping the Future of Learning: The Role of AI in Education 4.0. Released in 2024, it highlights the prospects AI holds for education. Apart from addressing concerns like data protection and fair access, the report calls on legislators and educators to work together to ensure AI’s successful integration into educational systems worldwide to achieve better outcomes for everyone.
Enabling Student-Focused Learning Anywhere, Anytime
AI-enabled virtual classrooms facilitate flexible, interactive, and customised learning environments by encouraging collaboration and inclusion. Such smart classrooms enable teachers and students to interact online using real-time chat functions, smart whiteboards, and screen sharing. For instance, if a student is facing trouble understanding a particular concept, AI-powered tutors can identify the specific areas of confusion and provide personalised explanations through examples, and task-based assignments. Through audio-visual presentations, and diagrams, virtual classrooms help learners grasp concepts faster and retain information better. Furthermore, the flexibility of globally connected virtual classrooms appeals to both modern instructors and learners. Students can watch recorded lectures and engage in discussions at their own pace.
Besides helping learners, AI also assists educators with its powerful tools. For example, AI tools can help teachers save time by evaluating students’ progress. This allows educators to focus more on lesson planning, teaching, and giving personalised feedback to students. A study by McKinsey & Company reveals that technology can help teachers repurpose 20-30% of their time for student-learning activities.
AI can also help identify slow learners and predict potential learning challenges. This enables educators to intervene early and provide the support necessary for uninterrupted education. India’s education sector faces several obstacles, including a shortage of skilled teachers and limited access to resources. Therefore, AI is being actively implemented in the country to help address these difficulties.
India’s Leap Towards Smarter Classrooms
India has embraced virtual learning with initiatives like the National Education Policy 2020, which aims to digitise and universalise education from preschool to secondary school through e-Learning. The Education and Research Network (ERNET) of India, with financial assistance from the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), (Government of India), successfully designed, built, and ran Smart Virtual Classroom facilities in 3204 government-owned/controlled schools as well as 50 District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Tripura as part of the Digital India Initiative. In addition to successfully addressing the demand for specialised teaching staff in remote or rural areas, the Smart Virtual Classroom offers a single, cross-state, ICT-enabled knowledge-sharing platform for teachers’ and education professionals’ training and skill development. Likewise, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has offered AI as an elective subject in schools to help students become acquainted with AI principles. Furthermore, it has integrated AI across subjects that deal with reasoning and cognition.
In the U.S., smart classrooms are transforming education through AI tools to boost interactivity and student engagement. A study conducted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has invested $300 million in research and development for personalised learning since 2009, reveals that this approach has boosted student engagement by 20%.

Bridging the Digital Divide-Need of the Hour
Though AI has enormous educational potential, closing the digital divide is paramount. Students in different countries still face major barriers to accessing technology and reliable internet connectivity, especially in rural and underprivileged settings. Oxfam’s India Inequality Report 2022 states that almost 70% of India’s population has poor or no digital services connectivity. It is essential to bridge this gap through initiatives such as affordable access to technology, digital literacy training programs, and expanding broadband infrastructure.
A Call for Collective Action
As we look to the future, AI-driven virtual classrooms hold immense promise. However, it is high time to narrow down the existing digital divide, which will require unanimous efforts from the government, educational institutions, and edTech companies. Simultaneously, considerable reforms in governance must be implemented to ensure the successful utilisation of AI technologies.
AI-powered virtual learning and conventional classroom instruction will probably coexist in the future. AI will not replace teachers but augment their capabilities by allowing them to provide more effective and personalised instruction.
The author, Husien Dohadwalla, is Co-CEO, Crimson Schools